Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Oct. 26, 1937. L. E. SPRAY 2,097,202

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS 7 Filed Deb. 5, 1954 'INVENTOR q Lester iii-jaray HIS A TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT GFFE RAILWAY TRAFFIC (JONTROLLING APPARATUS Lester E. Spray, Wilkinsliurg, Pa, assigncr to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Appiication December 3, 1934, Serial No. 755,695

23 Claims.

My invention relates to railway trafilc controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type wherein a railway track switch is electrically controlled by a manually operable lever, and wherein indication apparatus is electrically controlled by the switch.

One feature of my invention is the provision of means for utilizing the switch control wires as portions of a control circuit for the indication 0 apparatus, although the current supplied to the circuit for the indication apparatus is of the same form as the current supplied to the switch control circuit.

The apparatus of my invention is an improvement over that disclosed in the copending applications Serial No. 125,659, filed July 29, 1926, by Herbert A. Wallace for Railway traffic controlling apparatus; and. Serial No. 15,378, filed April 9, 1935, by Roderick M. MacGregor and Douglas G. Shipp for Electric control and indication of point operating mechanisms for railways and the like.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character W designates a railway track switch which is moved from each of its extreme positions to the other by an electric motor M through a suitable operating mechanism which is not shown in the drawing, but which is designated by a dash line 22.

an armature l2 and a field winding l5.

Motor M, as here indicated, comprises Eight contacts, designated by reference characters 3, 6,

9, M, IE, IT, IS, and 19,

respectively, are operated in conjunction with switch W. Each of the contacts 6, 9, and M is closed at all times except when switch W is in its reverse position; each of the contacts l6, l3, and I9 is closed at all times except when switch W is in its normal position; contact 3 is closed only while switch W is in its normal position; and contact I! is closed only tacts 6, 9, I8, and i9.

Relay R is of a type which, upon becoming deenergized, will retain its polar contacts in the closed position to which they were last previously moved.

Lever V has a normal position n and a reverse position 1'. Each of the contacts 3 and i9 operated by lever V is closed only when lever V is in its normal position 11 or its reverse position r. A third contact l, operated by lever V, is open when contacts 8 and it] are closed while lever V occupies either its 11 or its 1 position, but is closed at all other times, that is, contact I is closed during movements of lever V between'its two extreme positions, but is opened when lever V occupies either of these extreme positions 11 and r. Lever V may be of the type which is free to be moved from either of its extreme positions to the other at any time, or it may be controlled by an indication device, here shown as a polarized indication relay K, through some suitable means not shown in the drawing, but which may be of any suitable type such, for example, as the apparatus illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,101,036, granted to B. F. Oler on June 23, 1914.

Relay L is of a type which has a slow release, and is controlled by contact 7 of lever V. On account of being controlled by contact 1 of lever V, relay L is energized only during movements of lever V between its extreme positions, but on account of its slow release characteristic, relay L retains its contacts. t and Eclosed at their front points for a brief period of time after lever V reaches either its n or its r position.

Each of the asymmetric units d may be of the well known copper oxide rectifier valve type having a very low resistance to the flow of current in the direction indicated by the arrowhead portion of the symbols for the asymmetric units, but having a very high resistance to the flow of current in the opposite direction.

Indication relay K is controlled by polar contact 2 of polarized switch relay R, and by con-- tact-s 3 and ll of switch W, as well as by back points of contacts 6 and 5 of relay L, and by auxiliary asymmetric units d and d The normal control circuit for relay K also includes asymmetric unit d and contact 6 of switch W. The reverse control circuit for relay K also includes asymmetric unit 01 and contact l8 of switch W. 7

Each of the energizing circuits for relay K inmay be used to control normal and reverse indication devices here indicated as normal and reverse lamps cn and er, respectively.

Current for energizing the switch control circuit including the Winding of relay R is supplied by a source of unidirectional current such, for example, as a battery Q whereas current for energizing the indication circuit including the winding of indication relay K is supplied by a second source of unidirectional current of the same form as the current supplied to the control circuit by battery Q and which, as here shown, is a battery Q A resistor is included in the circuit for relay K in order to protect against short-circuiting the batteries Q and Q when lever V is moved from one of its extreme positions to the other.

As shown in the drawing, switch W and lever V are both in their normal positions. Withlever V in its normal position, relay L is deenergized since the circuit for energizing relay L is open at contact 1 of lever V. With relay L deenergized, relay R is deenergized on account of its circuit being open at the front points of contacts 4 and 5 of relay L.

With switch W in its normal position and with relay L dee-nergized, a circuit is completed for energizing indication relay K by current of normal polarity, passing from the positive terminal of battery Q through resistor t, contact 2 of relay R in its left-hand position, contact 3 of switch W, conductor 20, back point of contact 4 of relay L, winding of relay K, back point of contact 5 of relay L, conductor 2|, contact 6 of switch W, and asymmetric units d and d back to the negative terminal of battery Q From a consideration of the circuit just traced, it will be evident that asymmetric unit (1 constitutes a short-circuit around the winding of relay R, and that hence relay R cannot be energized by current from battery Q flowing in this circuit. With relay K energized by current of normal polarity, normal indication lamp en will be energized by current passing from terminal a: of a suitable source of current not shown in the drawing, through contact 23 of relay K, contact 24 of relay K in its left-hand position, and lamp en to terminal o of the same source of current.

If the leverman should desire to reverse switch W, he will move lever V from its normal position 11 to its reverse position 1'. During this movement of the lever, relay L will be energized by its circuit which passes from the positive terminal of battery Q through contact Tof lever V, and the winding of relay L back to the negative terminal of battery Q Relay L, upon becoming energized, lifts the movable members of its contacts 4 and 5 from the back points to the front points and, on account of its slow release characteristic, will retain these contacts closed at the front points for a brief period of time after lever V reaches its 1 position. With contacts and 5 of relay L open at their back points, relay K will be deenergized, causing lamp en to be deenergized.

In the brief period during which relay L retains its contacts 4 and 5 closed at the front points after lever V reaches its 1 position, relay R will be energized by current of reverse polarity passing from battery Q through contact 8 of lever V in its reverse position, front point of contact 5 of relay L, conductor 2|, contact 6 of switch W, asymmetric unit (2 winrhng of relay R, asymmetric unit al contact 9 of switch W, conductor 28, front point of contact 4 of relay L, and contact iii of lever V in its reverse position back to battery Q Relay R, upon becoming energized by its reverse circuit previously traced, reverses its contacts H and I3, causing switch W to be moved to its reverse position by a circuit passing from terminal :11, through contact H of relay R in its right-hand position, armature l2 of motor M, contact d3 of relay R in its'reverse position, contact E4 of switch W, and field winding I5 of motor M to terminal 0. When switch W reaches its reverse position, the operating circuit just traced will be opened at contact I4 of switch W.

Upon completion of the operation of switch W to its reverse position, back contacts 4 and 5 of relay L having been closed at the end of a brief period of time after the opening of contact 1 of lever V, the reverse control circuit for switch indication relay K will be closed, passing from battery Q through resistor t, contact 2 of relay R in its reverse position, contact I! of switch W, conductor 2|, back point of contact 5 of relay L, winding of relay K, back point of contact 4 of relay L, conductor 20, contact I8 of switch W, and asymmetric units (1 and d back to battery Q Relay K, upon becoming energized in the reverse direction, completes a circuit for energizing reverse indication lamp er, passing from terminal 3:, through contact 23 of relay K, contact 24-, of relay K in its reverse position, and lamp er to terminal 0.

When the leverman desires to return switch W to its normal position, he will move lever V back to its 12 position. During this movement, relay L will again be energized by the circuit previously traced, and, upon the completion of the movement of lever V to its 11 position, a circuit will be completed while relay L retains its contacts 4 and 5 closed at the front points, passing from the positive terminal of battery Q through contact 8 of lever V in its normal position, front point of contact i of relay L, conductor 26, contact [8 of switch W, asymmetric unit d winding of relay R, asymmetric unit 11 contact [9 of switch W, conductor 2! front point of contact 5 of relay L, and contact iii of lever V in its normal position, back to battery Q Relay R, being energized in the normal direction by this circuit, will return its contacts ii and 3 to their normal positions, thereby causing motor M to return switch W to its normal position.

Upon the completion of the operation of switch W to its normal position, the normal energizing circuit for indication relay K, previously traced, will again be completed, causing relay K to be energized in the normal direction and indicator lamp en to again be lighted.

In conclusion, some of the characteristics of apparatus embodying my invention are:

A. A single pair of line wires is used for both the control circuit and the indication circuit for a railway track switch, although these circuits are energized by current of the same form.

B. The switch control circuit includes a front contact of a slow release relay, whereas the switch indication circuit includes a back contact of the same slow release relay which is energized only while a control lever is between its normal and reverse positions, but which retains its front contacts in the closed position for a brief period of time after the lever reaches its normal or its reverse position.

0. The switch indication and control circuits are further selected by means of asymmetric units and switch operated contacts.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, an electrical device, a manually operable device, a control circuit for said electrical device governed by said manually operable device and energized by unidirectional current of substantially uniform magnitude, an indication device, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said electrical device and including a portion of said first control circuit and also energized by unidirectional current of substantially uniform magnitude, and asymmetric means associated with said circuits for obstructing the flow of current between given portions of said circuits.

2. In combination, a railway track switch, a manually operable pole-changer, a first and a second conductor, a control circuit for said switch the outgoing and return conductors of which at times comprise said first and second conductors respectively energized by unidirectional current of substantially uniform magnitude and of one polarity or the other according as said pole-changer is operated to one position or the other, an indication device, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said switch and including said first and second conductors and also energized by unidirectional current of substantially uniform magnitude, and current restricting means for preventing current in the control circuit for said indication device from efiecting an operation of said switch.

3. In combination, a railway track switch, a manually operable device, a first and a second conductor, a control circuit for said switch governed by said manually operable device and energized by unidirectional current of substantially uniform magnitude and including said first and second conductors, an indication device responsive to reversals of the polarity of the current by which it is energized, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said switch and the outgoing and return conductors of which at times comprise said first and second conductors respectively and also energized by unidirectional current of substantially uniform magnitude and of one polarity or the other according as said switch is in its normal or its reverse position, and asymmetric means for preventing current in the control circuit for said indication device from efiecting operation of said switch.

4. In combination, an electrical device, a manually operable device, a control circuit for said electrical device governed by said manually operable device and energized by current of a given form, an indication device, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said electrical device and including a portion of said first control circuit and also energized by current of said given form, and asymmetric means included in one of said circuits for obstructing the flow of current between given portions of said circuits.

5. In combination, a railway track switch, a manually operable pole-changer, a first and a second conductor, a control circuit for said switch the outgoing and return conductors of which at times comprise said first and second conductors respectively governed by said manually operable given form and of one polarity or the other according as said pole-changer is operated to one position or the other, an indication device, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said switch and including said first and second conductors and also energized by current of substantially the same form as the current supplied to said first circuit, and current restricting means for preventing current in the control circuit for said indication device from effecting an operation of said switch.

6. In combination, a railway track switch, a manually operable device, a first and ,a second conductor, a control circuit for said switch governed by said manually operable device and supplied with current of a given form and including said first and second conductors, an indication device responsive to reversals of the polarity of current by which it is energized, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said switch and the outgoing and return conductors of which at times comprise said first and second conductors respectively and also energized by current of substantially the same form as the current supplied to said first circuit and of one polarity or the other according as said switch is in its normal or its reverse position, and current restricting means for preventing current in the control circuit for said indication device from effecting an operation of said switch.

7. In combination, a railway track switch, a manually operable pole-changer, a first and a second conductor, a control circuit for said switch governed by said manually operable pole-changer and supplied with current of a given form and of one polarity or the other according as said pole-changer is operated to one position or the other and including said first and second conductors, an indication device responsive to reversals of the polarity of current by which it is energized, a control circuit for said indication device controlled by said switch and. the outgoing and return conductors of which at times comprise said first and second conductors respectively and also energized by current of substantially the same form as the current supplied to said switch control circuit and of one polarity or the other according as said switch is in its normal or its reverse position, and current restricting means for preventing current in the control circuit for said indication device from effecting an operation of said switch.

8. In combination, a railway track switch, control means for said switch responsive to reversals of the polarity of current with which it is supplied, a manually controllable pole-changer, a first and a second conductor, a control circuit for said switch control means the outgoing and re turn conductors of which at times comprise said first and second conductors respectively controlled by said pole-changer and energized by current of one polarity or the other according as said pole-changer is in one of its extreme positions or the other, an indication device responsive to reversals of the polarity of current by which it is energized, a control circuit for said indication device including said first and second conductors and controlled by said switch for energizing said indication device by current of the same form as the current supplied to said switch control circuit and of one polarity or the other according as said switch is in its normal or its reverse position, and asymmetric means for prepole-changer and supplied with current of a venting current in the control circuit for said 7 direct current and a portion of said first circuit indication device from effecting an operation of said switch.

9. In combination, an electrical device, a manually operable device, control mechanism for said electrical device, a circuit controlled by said manually operable device for energizing said control mechanism by current of a given form, an indication device, a control circuit for said indication device including a portion of said first circuit and controlled by said electrical device for energizing said indication device by current of the same form as the current in said first circuit, and asymmetric means associated with said circuits for obstructing the flow of current between given portions of said circuits.

10. In combination, an electrical device, a manually operable device, control mechanism for said electrical device, a circuit controlled by said manually operable device for energizing said control mechanism by current of a given form, an indication device, a control circuit for said indication device including a portion of said first circuit and controlled by said electrical device for energizing said indication device by current of the same form as the current in said first circuit, and asymmetric means cooperating with means controlled by said electrical device for selecting given portions of said circuits.

11. In combination, an electrical device, a manually operable device, a source of direct current, a circuit controlled by said manually operable device and said direct current source for controlling operation cf said electrical device, an indication device, a second source of direct current, a second circuit including said second ce of and controlled by said electrical device for energizing said indication device, asymmetric means for preventing current from said second source from effecting an operation of said electrical device, and a slow release relay controlled by said manually operable device when said first circuit is open for selecting one or the other of said circuits.

12. In combination, a railway traific governing device, a manually operable device, a source f direct current, a circuit including said manually operable device and said direct current source for controlling operation of said traffic governing device, an indication device, a second source of direct current, a second circuit including said second source of direct current and outgoing and return conductors of said first circuit and controlled by said trafiic governing device for energizing said indication device by current of substantially the same form as the current supplied to said first circuit, and current restricting means for preventing current irom said second source from effecting an operation of said traffic governing device.

13. In combination, railway traffic governing apparatus, a manually controllable device having a contact which is closed it and only if said device occupies a given position and having a second contact which is open when said device occupies said given position but which becomes closed as soon as said first contact opens when said device is moved from said given position which opens just before said first contact is again closed, a slow release relay controlled by a circuit including said second contact, a c':cuit controlled by said first contact and including a front contact of said slow release relay for controlling operations of said trailic governing apparatus, an indication device, a second circuit controlled by said traific governing apparatus and by a back contact of said slow release relay and including a portion of said first circuit for controlling said indication device, and asymmetric means cooperating with said trafiic governing apparatus for selecting given portions of said circuits.

In combination, railway traflic governing apparatus responsive to reversals of the polarity of current by which it is controlled, a manually controllable device having a normal and a reverse position and having normal and reverse contacts closed when said device occupies said normal or said reverse position respectively as well as having a middle contact which is closed at all times except when either said normal or said reverse contact is closed, a slow release relay, a circuit including said middle contact for controlling said slow release relay, normal and reverse control circuits controlled by said normal and reverse contacts respectively and by a front contact of said slow release relay for controlling said traffic governing apparatus by current of normal or reverse polarity respectively, an indication device, a second circuit controlled by said tranic governin apparatus and by a back contact 01 said slow release relay and including a portion of said first circuit for controlling said indication device, and asymmetric means cooperating with said traiiic governing apparatus for selectin given portions of said circui" 15. In combination, a railway track switch, a polarized switch relay, means controlled by said switch relay for operating said switch to its norinal or its reverse position according as said switch relay energized by current of normal or or" reverse polarity, manually controlled circuits,

ray is energized by current of normal or of revcr e polarity, manually controlled circuits for energizing said switch relay by current of normal or of reverse polarity, an indication device, an indication circuit including a portion of said manually controlled circuits and controlled by said switch relay for energizing said indication device, and asymmetric means associated with said circuits for preventing current supplied to said indication circuit from energizing said switch relay.

1'2. In combination, a railway track switch, a polarized switch relay, means controlled by said switch relay for operating said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said switch relay is energized by current of normal or of reverse polarity, a first a second contact operated by said switch each of which is closed at all times except when said switch is in its reverse position, a third and a fourth contact operated by said switch each of which is closed at all times except when said switch is in its normal position, a first and a second as well as a third and a fourth and also a fifth and a sixth asymmetric unit, a conductor, a path including said first contact and said first asymmetric unit for passing current of reverse polarity from said conductor to one terminal of the winding of said switch relay, a second path including said third contact and said third asymmetric unit for passing current of normal polarity from said one terminal to said conductor, a second conductor, a third path including said second contact and said second asymmetric unit for passing current of reverse polarity from the opposite terminal of the winding of said switch relay to said second conductor, a fourth path including said fourth contact and said fourth asymmetric unit for passing current of normal polarity from said second conductor to said opposite terminal, manually controlled means for supplying said conductors with current of normal or of reverse polarity for energizing said switch relay, an indication device responsive to reversals of polarity of current by which it is energized, a circuit including said first path and said fifth asymmetric unit as well as said first and second conductors and controlled by said switch and switch relay for supplying current of normal polarity for energizing said indication device, and a circuit including'said fourth path and said sixth asymmetric unit as well as said conductors for supplying current of reverse polarity for energizing said indication device.

18. In combination, an electro-responsive device, a manually operable device having a first and a second extreme position, a slow-release relay, means controlled by said manually operable device for energizing said slow release relay only when said manually operable device is between its extreme positions, means controlled by a front contact of said slow release relay and by said manually operable device in either of its extreme positions for energizing said electro-responsive device, an indication device, means controlled by a back contact of said slow-release relay and by said electro-responsive device for energizing said indication device, and asymmetric means cooperating with said electro-responsive device for selectively controlling said energizing means.

19. In combination, an electro-responsive device, a manually operable device having a first and a second position, a slow-release relay, means controlled by said manually operable device for energizing said slow release relay when said manually operable device is in said first position but not when in said second position, means controlled by a front contact of said slow-release relay and by said manually operable device in its second position for energizing said electro-responsive device, an indication device, means controlled by a back contact of said slow-release relay and by said electro-responsive device for energizing said indication device, and asymmetric means cooperating with said electro-responsive device for selectively controlling said energizing means.

20. In combination, an electro-responsive device, a manually operable device, a source of ourrent, a pair of conductors extending from a point adjacent said manually operable device to a point adjacent said electro-responsive device, a circuit controlled by said manually operable device and including said conductors and said source of current for controlling said electro-responsive device, a second source of current, an indication device, a second circuit controlled by said electroresponsive device and including said conductors and said second source of current for controlling said indication device, andv asymmetric means preventing current from said second source from controlling said electro-responsive device.

21. In combination, an electrical device selectively responsive to current of normal and reverse polarities, a manually operable device, a pair of conductors extending from a point adjacent said manually operable device to a point adjacent said electrical device, circuits controlled by said manually operable device and including said conductors for energizing said electrical device by current of normal or reverse polarity, an indication device, an indication circuit controlled by said electrical device and including said conductors for controlling said indication device, and asymmetric means associated With said circuits for preventing current from said second circuit from controlling said electrical device.

22. In combination, a pair of conductors, manually controllable means for supplying control current of normal or reverse polarity to said conductors, a switch relay receiving control current from said conductors, means controlled by said switch relay for operating said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said switch relay is energized by current of normal or reverse polarity, means controlled by said switch for supplying indication current of normal or reverse polarity to said conductors according as said switch is in its normal or its reverse position, indication means selectively controlled by indication current received from said conductors, and asymmetric means interposed between said switch relay and said conductors and poled to prevent said indication current from energizing said switch relay.

23. In combination, a pair of conductors extending between a control oflice and a station, manually controllable mechanism at said ofiice for supplying control current selectively to said conductors, electrical apparatus at said station selectively responsive to control current in said conductors, indication apparatus at said ofiice, manually controllable means at said oflice for selectively connecting said manually controllable mechanism or said indication apparatus with said conductors, means controlled by said electrical apparatus for supplying indication current to said conductors for the control of said indication apparatus, and asymmetric means associated. with said electrical apparatus and poled to prevent said indication current from energizing said electrical apparatus.

LESTER E. SPRAY. 

